possibility of working her

[ips]

Good to hear! I guess in the wood, if she don’t see you, means she is free to work on the fly. Smart buggers!

I think that is correct newf, with hindsight ii should have seen it coming and stopped her before she got into gear

[ips]

Well, tonight's dogging in went ok although it wasn't that busy with birds to be honest. For a change we walked directly from our house over the fields to the estate (it's about 3/4 mile) enroute she scents something and legged it full tilt up a hedge line a good 70yds and put a pheasant up. I missed the signals due to chatting with Lynn and being an amateur . Anyway I gave her the "stare" popped a lead on (as we're near the riding stables we go through) and she was compliant from them on. It seems that she knows when I ain't happy with her so I have no need for any type of punishment.

[newf]

Well, tonight's dogging in went ok although it wasn't that busy with birds to be honest. For a change we walked directly from our house over the fields to the estate (it's about 3/4 mile) enroute she scents something and legged it full tilt up a hedge line a good 70yds and put a pheasant up. I missed the signals due to chatting with Lynn and being an amateur . Anyway I gave her the "stare" popped a lead on (as we're near the riding stables we go through) and she was compliant from them on. It seems that she knows when I ain't happy with her so I have no need for any type of punishment.

Ian, there is a big difference between a dog displaying subservient behaviour after a stare or rough tone of voice and effective punishment. The former if repeated down the road indicates the tactic is not punishing but merely a momentary intimidation that you don’t like something and that something may be as exact as a shotgun blast in pin pointing which behaviour to the dog.

In contrast, effective punishment has the elements of marking the undesired precisely and is aversive enough to be intolerable. Those two characteristics will bring an inhibition or a complete stop to an unwanted behaviour.

However, I do realize everyone has their sensitivities and tolerances in handling a dog. It is for that reason, that any approach that does no harm and satisfies the trainer, then all is good. In other words, training success is an individual and personal adventure. We see it everyday on YouTube, a hunter with his/her gundog versus a field trailer.

[Cass]

I don't even see that as a problem

[ips]

I don't even see that as a problem

To be honest Cass when dogging in it actually isn't a problem in fact arguably it's good work however as I try to replicate beating when dogging in it could become a problem unless she can accept and realise the different context of both jobs we are beating on wed on a 150 bird ish day so will report back as to how it goes

[ips]

Well 1st day beating on one of our regular estates and it went remarkably well. I thought she was going to be a nightmare this season as she seems to have become quite self reliant of late but nope she was very compliant and did some excellent work especially blanking in a very long overgrown stone wall fairly packed with partridge...ngiven our history with hedgelines etc and the fact that they pull her along this came as a big surprise to me

[newf]

Good to hear, Ian! Unfortunately my springer went totally deaf on this season’s first cripple. He righted himself at the end but it almost cost the loss of an injured and escaping duck.

[ips]

Good to hear, Ian! Unfortunately my springer went totally deaf on this season’s first cripple. He righted himself at the end but it almost cost the loss of an injured and escaping duck.

I really appreciate when the very experienced on the forum are open about misdemeanours such as this, it puts things into perspective for those of us who are new ish to it all and expect way too much

[newf]

Good to hear, Ian! Unfortunately my springer went totally deaf on this season’s first cripple. He righted himself at the end but it almost cost the loss of an injured and escaping duck.

I really appreciate when the very experienced on the forum are open about misdemeanours such as this, it puts things into perspective for those of us who are new ish to it all and expect way too much

Ian, you have plenty experience now, not only with your own dog but most likely observation of others with theirs. Time flys and the years add up, I would suspect too, you’re a mentor of newcomers to the beating scene.

[ips]

Good to hear, Ian! Unfortunately my springer went totally deaf on this season’s first cripple. He righted himself at the end but it almost cost the loss of an injured and escaping duck.

I really appreciate when the very experienced on the forum are open about misdemeanours such as this, it puts things into perspective for those of us who are new ish to it all and expect way too much

Ian, you have plenty experience now, not only with your own dog but most likely observation of others with theirs. Time flys and the years add up, I would suspect too, you’re a mentor of newcomers to the beating scene.

Your very kind Brian and you are correct how time flies.
I or rather we are now entering our 8th season of working and have enjoyed every second of it. We have had many "moments" but to date have not ruined a single drive ....this I believe is the single thing that us beaters base every working day on .....phew......